traveling question

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mattbiernat · #1 Post by **mattbiernat** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:16 pm

okay so i am going to Europe (poland) in 5 weeks or so. I was wondering how many laptops i can take on an airplane. My gf told me that when her brother was boarding his plane he was allowed only to take one laptop and they wanted to charge him TAX or VAT for the second laptop. What are the official regulations for this? I heard many people in here claiming that they travel with two laptops. Can I take two? Or will they ask me to pay tax for it?

#2 Post by **jdhurst** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:12 pm

You really should ask the customs and excise people. Unless someone here wants to present themselves as such, our opinions are just that - opinions. I would be hard pressed to understand at arms length why one individual carries two computers except to drop on off (ergo, tax). So you need some really good advice.

I have travelled with one laptop into England and Western Europe and never heard a peep from the customs folks either out or coming back in. ... JDH

mattbiernat · #3 Post by **mattbiernat** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:20 pm

hmm. see i want to take two laptop cause im gonna stay there for 4 years. I want to have one as a back up (probably a cheap refub or something). the prices of thinkpads in poland are twice as much as here.

#4 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:40 pm

JD Hurst is right of course. Generally, we can only offer opinions. You should contact the customs and excise people to get firm advice.

About 25 years ago I made a trip to Honduras and was told by others that I could be charged tax for bringing in a somewhat expensive portable shortwave radio. I got around this by going to the Customs office in New Orleans, near where I lived at the time, and filling out a declaration form for the radio and IIRC a notation was made in my passport. I was declaring the radio when I entered the country, and would declare it again when I left - if necessary.

A similar situation occurred when I traveled by car through the country of México about 10 years ago. México is very concerned that they collect the tax of all automobiles sold there. When you travel below the border towns, you need a permit for the auto to continue. When you leave México, you need to surrender the permit at the border (or quite possibly encounter repercussions when you reenter México at some later date).

It would seem that if the customs officials in the country you are entering could reliably determine that you bring out is what you brought in, then there should not be a problem.

mattbiernat · #5 Post by **mattbiernat** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:45 pm

do i contact these guys:
http://www.customs.gov/
or do i specifically need to call poland and check with their customs?

#6 Post by **tomh009** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:07 pm

OK, so there are two parts to your question, really.

First, TSA should not give you any (more than the normal) hassle for taking a second laptop on the plane. And they really don't give two hoots about where you are taking it, whether you plan to bring it back or whether ThinkPads are allowed into that country.

Now, taxes. If you are going to be living in Poland for four years (on a student visa?) and you are doing it all above board, I would just declare both ThinkPads as your personal effects.

Contact the Polish customs service for details:
http://www.mf.gov.pl/index.php?const=2

Some helpful data here also:
http://tracking.alliedintl.com/customs_ ... POLAND.asp

Notable bringing a car with you when moving to Poland appears to be a profitable activity. : )

mattbiernat · #7 Post by **mattbiernat** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:54 pm

not sure whether to enter on student visa or polish passport. im trying avoid trouble for skipping draft... but that's another subject.
I will try to contact polish customs. hopefully they speak english.

tomh009 wrote: Notable bringing a car with you when moving to Poland appears to be a profitable activity. : )

there is a joke going on in germany. "come on vaccation to Poland. Your cars is already waiting for you there!" in short you would not keep that car for too long.

ty for all the info.

qviri · #8 Post by **qviri** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:13 pm

mattbiernat wrote:im trying avoid trouble for skipping draft... but that's another subject.

I don't know about Communist times if they're of concern here, but according to current law, being a permanent resident of another country is a valid reason for not serving in the Polish military.

mattbiernat · #9 Post by **mattbiernat** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:23 pm

qviri wrote:
mattbiernat wrote:im trying avoid trouble for skipping draft... but that's another subject.
I don't know about Communist times if they're of concern here, but according to current law, being a permanent resident of another country is a valid reason for not serving in the Polish military.

im a US citizen now. but polish military said that they do not care. they said that since i am a polish citizen i have to go to the army for the next 2 years. I even sent them a proof from my school that I have been attending UC Irvine. They said that they "do not accept that school as a real school"

and that i have to come back. that being said i pretty much sticked up my middle finger to them all the way from acros the ocean. but now i am going back there to get my MD, so I am trying to clear my name.

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